External HDD not recognised, size 0GB

[Bouzoo]

My sister had an accident where the HDD dropped on the floor and now it's basically not working. Needless to say she doesn't have a backup of many files which are more than important, and if possible would like to save everything. I did a fair amount of research but nothing helped. 

When I connect the drive, it isn't listed in My Computer, and this is in Device Manager:

 

 

 

I've also tried MiniTool Partition Wizard 9.1 which lists this:

 

 

The one that is listed is my HDD, the Unknown/Basic MDR is the external drive. The model is WD My Passport 1TB. Tried all the usual "troubleshooting", other PCs, cabels, etc. Afaik, WD doesn't have any utility that might help me. Thought about Hyren's Boot but last time I used it didn't have a utility like that as well. 

 

Any help would be appreciated. 

 

[Naeaes]

I've had best luck recovering files with PhotoRec: http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec It actually comes with TestDisk which you can also use to troubleshoot issues. WIth all that said, this sounds like a head crash to me which would mean, you're in need of a recovery laboratory. Even then the data can be forever gone.

[Bouzoo]

3 minutes ago, Naeaes said:

I've had best luck recovering files with PhotoRec: http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec It actually comes with TestDisk which you can also use to troubleshoot issues. WIth all that said, this sounds like a head crash to me which would mean, you're in need of a recovery laboratory. Even then the data can be forever gone.

Tnx for replying. Sadly it's not listed in there as well so can't target it with TestDisk.

Naturally, I'm postponing a recovery as a last resort if possible. 

[Naeaes]

1 minute ago, Bouzoo said:

Naturally, I'm postponing a recovery as a last resort if possible. 

Huh? Normally recovering the data would be the 1st priority. What's up?

[Bouzoo]

1 minute ago, Naeaes said:

Huh? Normally recovering the data would be the 1st priority. What's up?

Not like that, I meant going to a repair ship is my last resort, since there are no official ones from WD in my country. 

[Naeaes]

1 minute ago, Bouzoo said:

Not like that, I meant going to a repair ship is my last resort, since there are no official ones from WD in my country. 

Oh yeah! That'd cost like crazy. Anyhoo, the Photorec software doesn't need a working file system on the drive like some of the others do. Instead it targets the raw data itself. Since it doesn't read MBR, it loses a lot of metadata like the folder structure and filenames but it's most likely to get the files themselves.

[Bouzoo]

4 minutes ago, Naeaes said:

Oh yeah! That'd cost like crazy. Anyhoo, the Photorec software doesn't need a working file system on the drive like some of the others do. Instead it targets the raw data itself. Since it doesn't read MBR, it loses a lot of metadata like the folder structure and filenames but it's most likely to get the files themselves.

How do I use it though? As in I can't select the drive at talk. Only C:\ and D:\ are listed which are from my main HDD. 

 

[alizaidi2000]

in diskmgmt.msc right click on the drive and initalize disk. Unfortunately your data is gone though

 

linus has video here

 

 

[TrigrH]

Just now, alizaidi2000 said:

in diskmgmt.msc right click on the drive and initalize disk. Unfortunately your data is gone though

his data probs isnt gone, but the controller might be? 

[Naeaes]

1 minute ago, Bouzoo said:

How do I use it though? As in I can't select the drive at talk. Only C:\ and D:\ are listed which are from my main HDD. 

 

That's testdisk. Run photorec_win.exe

[Bouzoo]

2 minutes ago, alizaidi2000 said:

in diskmgmt.msc right click on the drive and initalize disk. Unfortunately your data is gone though

When I connected it first it asked me to do that, but I know it'll erase everything, so I'm looking for an alternative. 

[Bouzoo]

2 minutes ago, Naeaes said:

That's testdisk. Run photorec_win.exe

I did, several times, it gives me the same thing. 

[alizaidi2000]

1 minute ago, TrigrH said:

his data probs isnt gone, but the controller might be? 

In this state of the drive, it currently does not have a gpt nor an mbr, because its not initialized. He would have to create a new partition table gpt or mbr. but that destroys his data

[alizaidi2000]

1 minute ago, Bouzoo said:

When I connected it first it asked me to do that, but I know it'll erase everything, so I'm looking for an alternative. 

Unfortuneatly, due to there no longer being a partition table, this is your only option and all your data is gone

[TrigrH]

3 minutes ago, alizaidi2000 said:

In this state of the drive, it currently does not have a gpt nor an mbr, because its not initialized. He would have to create a new partition table gpt or mbr. but that destroys his data

Its a physical HDD, so if the data is critical he should be able to recover it.

[Naeaes]

2 minutes ago, Bouzoo said:

I did, several times, it gives me the same thing. 

OK then. It's a busted drive. You're looking a process such as this at the least: 

 

[alizaidi2000]

1 minute ago, TrigrH said:

Its a physical HDD, so if the data is critical he should be cable to recover it.

The partition table has been erased, though i can't explain why, it means the data is already gone. When you erase a partition table of any drive it destroys all the data on all partitions

[Bouzoo]

4 minutes ago, alizaidi2000 said:

Unfortuneatly, due to there no longer being a partition table, this is your only option and all your data is gone

I mean it does say Basic MDR (I know it probably doesn't mean anything). HDDs are kind of my weaker area. 

[Bouzoo]

2 minutes ago, Naeaes said:

OK then. It's a busted drive. You're looking a process such as this at the least: 

Well in that case I might rather bring it to a repair shop. I'm not afraid to open it, but it's not mine. 

And it's an external as well which complicates things a bit more. 

[TrigrH]

Just now, alizaidi2000 said:

The partition table has been erased, though i can't explain why, it means the data is already gone. When you erase a partition table of any drive it destroys all the data on all partitions

So ur telling me if he went to a data recovery shop they couldn't put the platters in a new drive and get his data back?

[Matt_98]

Just now, alizaidi2000 said:

The partition table has been erased, though i can't explain why, it means the data is already gone. When you erase a partition table of any drive it destroys all the data on all partitions

 

no the data is still there, the pc just cant find it, there are meathods to recover the data but they will take a long time and cost alot

[alizaidi2000]

1 minute ago, Bouzoo said:

I mean it does say Basic MDR (I know it probably doesn't mean anything). HDDs are kind of my weaker area. 

Yes but disk management does not see it as a basic mbr, and minipartition tool should not be displaying that, though i have encountered it doing that before. Unfortunately, it is your only option

[Naeaes]

7 minutes ago, Bouzoo said:

Well in that case I might rather bring it to a repair shop. I'm not afraid to open it, but it's not mine. 

And it's an external as well which complicates things a bit more. 

It's still in the enclosure? Dude you gotta get it out of there and hook it up using sata. Loads of stuff that can break down on the USB controller but none of it is needed to access the drive.

[Bouzoo]

2 minutes ago, Naeaes said:

It's still in the enclosure? Dude you gotta get it out of there and hook it up using sata. Loads of stuff that can break down on the USB controller but none of it is needed to access the drive.

Yeah it still is. Was just looking at some cases where different casing helped. 

[Trevor87]

If it water damage I would take the harddrive to a good data recovery place so they have a crater chance of getting your data before it is gone for ever.